Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Fichrydayor&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Fichrydayor’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant form; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium to large-size decorative-type inflorescences with bronze orange-colored ray florets; early season flowering habit, grown under natural season conditions, plants begin flowering in late August in the United Kingdom; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FICHRYDAYOR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a garden Chrysanthemum plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fichrydayor’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new early season flowering garden Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made in January, 2012 by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 802244, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 802372, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in September, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminal vegetative cuttings was first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in December, 2012. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetative cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fichrydayor’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fichrydayor’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit.

2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant form.

4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.

5. Medium to large-size decorative-type inflorescences with bronze orange-colored ray florets.

6. Early season flowering habit, grown under natural season conditions, plants begin flowering in late August in the United Kingdom.

7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of the female parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent selection differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent selection have inflorescences with golden bronze-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in ray floret color as plants of the male parent selection have inflorescences with cerise pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichryaftora’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Fichryaftora’ in time to flower as plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower much earlier than plants of ‘Fichryaftora’. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum have slightly larger inflorescences than plants of ‘Fichryaftora’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant. The photograph is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fichrydayor’ grown in a 14-cm container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. and light levels averaged 6,000 lux. Plants were grown under long day/short night conditions for about five weeks (including propagation period) and then grown under short day/long night conditions to induce inflorescence initiation and development. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichrydayor’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 802244,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 802372,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             light brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent             on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type garden             Chrysanthemum; stems upright to outwardly spreading giving a             uniformly mounded appearance to the plant; numerous lateral             branches and relatively short internodes, dense and full             plant form; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 24 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about nine lateral             branches develop after removal of terminal apex (pinching).         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 2.6 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:             About 10° from vertical and then bending upwardly. Texture:             Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 146C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Palmately-lobed; roughly ovate with three to five             lobes.         -   Apex.—Broadly acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate and palmately lobed; sinuses             between lateral lobes mostly divergent.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Fine pubescence; slightly             rough; veins prominent on lower surface.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Fine pubescence; slightly             rough. Color, upper surface: Close to N137A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 137C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Decorative-type inflorescence form             with ligulate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne on             terminals above and beyond the foliar plane; disc and ray             florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; freely             flowering habit with about 90 inflorescences developing per             plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—Mildly fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.         -   Flowering response.—Early season flowering habit, plants             exposed to natural season conditions begin flowering in late             August in the United Kingdom; plants flower uniformly and             continuously during the flowering season.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about three to five weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 137B.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—Not conspicuous.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Conical. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About             129 arranged in about six whorls. Orientation: Initially             upright, then about 90° from vertical. Length: About 1.8 cm.             Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Emarginate. Base:             Fused into a short tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; double-keeled. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to N163B. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 167B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close             to N163D; with development, color becoming closer to 163B.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N164B; with             development, color becoming closer to 163C.         -   Disc florets.—Number of disc florets per inflorescence:             About 32 massed at the center of the receptacle;             inconspicuous. Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Tubular, elongated; apices, acute. Texture, inner and             outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening: Apex:             Close to 14A. Mid-section: Close to 1C. Base: Close to 155B.             Color, fully opened: Apex: Close to 14B. Mid-section: Close             to 1B. Base: Close to 155D.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 26             arranged in about four whorls. Length: About 7 mm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             waxy. Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence; waxy. Color,             upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to             137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 2.3 cm.             Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 2 mm. Angle: Erect to             about 30° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Close to 138A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:             Present only on ray florets. Pistil length: About 4 mm.             Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 14B. Style             length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 1C. Ovary color:             Close to 155A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum to date. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Chrysanthemum to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures     from about 0° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed: 1 A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Fichrydayor’ as illustrated and described. 